The car with a built-in robot

Chinese maker BYD’s new sedan has a dash-top robot that can interact with passengers.

Chinese car maker BYD has unveiled a car fitted with its own robot.

BYD’s Qin sedan is fitted with a robot – known only as “i” – which pops out of the top of the dashboard when the car is started. According to Auto News World, it can “converse” with the driver by using different digital facial “expressions” as well as communicating with the driver by performing different movements and talking to the driver.

According to China Car Times the cutesy digital companion is fitted with cameras which act as a driver fatigue monitor. It also doubles as the interaction point for BYD’s “i” networking system, with a voice-controlled system managing the car’s wireless internet access, satnav and even music downloads direct to the car’s stereo.

In 2011, robotics manufacturer Denso unveiled an iPhone-powered in-car robot system called Passenger Eye which uses a swivelling and tilting dash-mounted digital camera that analyses the driver’s face and detects when they are starting to get tired.

If the driver is too tired, the system flashes red lights and can even point them to the nearest coffee shop using the car’s satnav system.

BYD’s system appears to be similar to this, but international reports claim the “i” robot system, unlike Denso’s Passenger Eye, is quite close to mass production.

The Qin sedan is petrol-electric hybrid which can reportedly accelerate from 0-100km/h in a Golf GTI-like 6.9 seconds. BYD claims the car will cost just 16 Yuan ($2.45) per 100 kilometres to run.

The Qin will be unveiled at this week’s Beijing motor show alongside a concept car that allows you to manoeuvre your vehicle at low speeds using a remote control.